The first reason medical marijuana should be legalized is because of its proven health benefits. There are many questions as to whether or not marijuana holds any medical value. Without the legalization of medical marijuana, doctors and scientists are not able to fully grasp marijuana’s medical potentials. Luckily marijuana has been proven to help with some illnesses such as Glaucoma, Alzheimer’s, and Multiple Sclerosis.
Glaucoma is group of eye conditions that can lead to damage to the optic nerve. The optic nerve is what carries visual information from the eye to the brain. Only the people that are diagnosed with Glaucoma know about the pain that comes along with it. Marijuana has been proven to reduce the intraocular pressure that drives behind the patients eyes.
Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia that gradually gets worse over time. It affects its victim’s memory, thinking, and behavior. AchE is an enzyme that has been known to accelerate the formation of abnormal protein clumps in the brain and also breaks down acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is a chemical in the brain that has been linked to memory and learning. The substance THC, which is located in marijuana, is able to disrupt the abnormal clumping of malformed proteins. The approved drugs for Alzheimer’s, donepezil and tacrine, can reduce clumping by
References: Vekshin, Alison. (2011, August 29). A City That’s Really Gone to Pot. EBSCOhost Wolff, M. (2009). Legalizing marijuana can reduce crime, increase revenue for state